The fight was indeed a desperate one. Sir William Berkley and his
ship, the _Swiftsure,_ a second-rate, was taken, as was the
_Essex,_ a third-rate.
The _Henry,_ commanded by Sir John Harman, was surrounded by foes.
Her sails and rigging were shot to pieces, so she was completely
disabled, and the Dutch Admiral, Cornelius Evertz, summoned Sir John
Harman to surrender.
"It has not come to that yet," Sir John shouted back, and continued
to pour such heavy broadsides into the Dutch that several of their
ships were greatly damaged, and Evertz himself killed.
The Dutch captains drew off their vessels, and launched three
fire-ships at the _Henry._ The first one, coming up on her starboard
quarter, grappled with her. The dense volumes of smoke rising from
her prevented the sailors from discovering where the grapnels were
fixed, and the flames were spreading to her when her boatswain
gallantly leapt on board the fire-ship, and, by the light of its
flames, discovered the grapnels and threw them overboard, and
succeeded in regaining his ship.
A moment later, the second fire-ship came up on the port side, and so
great a body of flames swept across the _Henry_ that her chaplain
and fifty men sprang overboard. Sir John, however, drew his sword,
and threatened to cut down the first man who refused to obey orders,
and the rest of the crew, setting manfully to work, succeeded in
extinguishing the flames, and in getting free of the fire-ship. The
halliards of the main yard were, however, burnt through, and the spar
fell, striking Sir John Harman to the deck and breaking his leg.
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